SESSION #2 - A Mindful Way to Reduce Stress and Develop Resilience

A Mindful Way To Reduce Stress And Develop Resilience

Session Themes ▪ Session 1: Cultivating Self-Awareness ▪ Session 2: Understanding your stress response and taking care of your nervous system ▪ Session 3: Taking stock of how you spend your time: Nourishing and Depleting Activities ▪ Session 4: Taking stock of your connections: Connecting to self, others and community

Understanding Your Stress Response Taking care of your nervous system and mindstate

Stress Hans Seyle  Stress is “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change.”  Total mind/body response  Change needed, demand to meet, pressure  Stressor – anything that causes the reaction to occur  External  Internal Richard Lazarus  “Stress is a particular relationship between a person and the environment that is appraised by the person as taxing or exceeding his or her resources and endangering his or her well-being.” 4

Chronic Stress Dr. Ellisa Eppel “The Stress Prescription”  Stress can be viewed as a sprint (acute) or marathon (chronic)  Chronic stress may be prolonged situation or made up of sprints  Chronic stress is toxic stress in the body  One way stress can become chronic is through intrusive thoughts and rumination of a situation 6

Stressor Activation Reaction

Fight/Flight/Freeze • In response to stress: • The heart beats faster/pumps blood more quickly • The blood pressure rises • We consume more oxygen and expel more carbon dioxide • Perspiration increases • The adrenal glands pump out adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol • The immune system becomes suppressed • Blood platelets become stickier

The Stress Cycle AUTOMATIC THOUGHTS/STORIES . FEELINGS BODY SENSATIONS BEHAVIORS HABITS COPING STRATEGIES

STRESSFUL EVENTS THOUGHTS SENSATIONS EMOTIONS

Stress Warning Signs

Moving From Reactivity to Creative Responding 13 “The very first and most important step in breaking free from a lifetime of stress reactivity is to be mindful of what is actually happening while it is happening.” ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn

Practice: Catch and Release Relaxing into moments of uncertainty  Tune in to your body  Take 3 slow breaths, all the way down to your belly  Briefly notice the sensations you’re experience  sitting in the chair, temperature in the room  Scan for embodied stress – Brief Body Scan Practice  Scan the body and notice where you’re holding stress. Release, breath into any tight spots. This might be where you’re holding embodied stress  Let go of expectation – notice where you’re attached to how things should be/go. See for what they are: possible outcomes. Remind yourself that anything can happen  Uncertainty is here, welcome it!  Lean back – physically (inviting more relaxation, receptivity.  Bring attention to a comfortable anchor such as the breath, hands/feet, sounds  Let the moment unfold as it will 14

Breathe Well  Breathe Well  Breathe lightly – softly, gently, quietly  Beathe slowly  Breathe deeply – down into your diaphragm (ribs widening to the sides) 15

Mindful Movement  Gentle Stretching  Bring awareness to the body and the sensations of the movements  Arms overhead  Side Stretch  Shoulder Rolls  Neck Rolls 16

Mindfulness Practice: 3 Step Breathing Space STEP 3 - Expand Expand attention to include the body and surroundings STEP 2 - Gather Narrow attention to just the breath STEP 1 - Aware Wide attention - what is my direct experience right now? Notice body sensations, thoughts, emotions, urges

Breathing for Restoration (4 – 6 – 8)  Breathe in for four seconds through the nose  Hold for six seconds  Breathe out very slowly for eight seconds. Try exhaling through pursed lips to slow your breath if that feels easier 18

Bookend Your Day  Morning Practice (incline the mind towards joy and gratitude)  Let yourself gently awaken. Take 3 slow breaths  Ask yourself:  What am I looking forward to today?  What am I grateful for?  Evening Practice (fill mind with the best thing that happened today)  What am I grateful for today?  Was there something that happened that went better than expected?  What made me smile or feel good today? Did I make someone smile today? 19